Day 2 – Tuesday 12 May

While one could drive down to Kilkenny in just over an hour, today we will be focussing on the byways less travelled. The route takes us south and then east into more of the attractive Wicklow Mountain landscapes before we return to the flatter farmlands of Counties Carlow and Kilkenny and then finish with a few gentle upland sorties to bring the day to a close.

After an initial test within the grounds of a country estate, we head into the Wicklow hills for an interesting Regularity en route to Morning Coffee in a village well known to TV viewers of a certain age. Next up, will be the first ‘Map Regularity’ to give the navigators some variety plus an enjoyable ‘farm road lash’ just before we stop for lunch. This will be hosted at a large 19th century Tudor Gothic house, set within 800 acres of parkland in County Carlow.

The afternoon run begins by passing the impressive ruins of Duckett’s Grove before an intensive regularity will work off any lunchtime excesses and a scenic run across the edge of the Castlecomer Plateau brings us to a nice little estate test. Then it will be time to pause for tea at an historic house – home to a family of well-known Irish artists.

The day is rounded off by another upland regularity and a great test around a farmyard, close to our home for the next 3 nights on the 170 acre Lyrath Estate, just outside Kilkenny.

Day 3 – Wednesday 13 May

The third day sees us heading south over the Comeragh Mountains to the Blackwater Estuary before returning over the Knockmealdown Mountains later in the day.

Today, both crew members will be tested as the Regularities feature a few more twists and turns, while the Special Tests will see us visit everything from a large dairy farm to a professional rally testing venue with apple orchards and a grass airstrip thrown in for good measure…

The rest halts include a traditional pub, restaurant and undertaker dating back to the 1840s and a country house hotel whose history can be traced back to around 1650.  Lunch will be taken in the pretty village of Villierstown on the Dromana estate, which is well-used to hosting vintage motoring events.

The afternoon regularity section also sees the return, by popular demand, of one of the Shamrock’s most talked about features… And on the subject of food and drink, we will return to Kilkenny in time for the ‘free dining evening’.

You can choose to sample one of the dining options at Lyrath Estate, or else use the provided shuttle bus to head into the characterful streets of Kilkenny itself. Here most culinary tastes can be fulfilled, and the evening can be rounded off with a few drinks and some live Irish music in a traditional bar.

Day 4 – Thursday 14 May

Thursday sees us heading south east into Wexford – Ireland’s sunniest county – for the final morning of the event.

Leaving Kilkenny, a cross-country run brings us to a Test on one of the country’s longest kart circuits. This is quickly followed by the first Regularity and then the morning refreshments stop in a village hall.

After a short but challenging Test on the outskirts of New Ross, we turn north to a more involved Regularity affording fine views of the nearby Blackstairs Mountains before making for lunch – the now-traditional final day ‘soup and sandwiches’ – in the courtyard of a small castle and gardens, dating from 1625.

Suitably fed and watered, we set out on the short afternoon route, which climbs over the Corbutt Gap on the slopes of Mount Leinster and offers far reaching vistas, before we stumble across an exciting Test that is quite literally around the home of one of our regular Shamrock entrants.

All that then remains is a long final Regularity in the lanes on the southern flanks of the Castlecomer Plateau and a short run back to the final celebrations in the grounds of Lyrath Estate. These festivities will continue later that evening at the Prizegiving Dinner, then long into the night.